‘Because I’ve spent a lot of time doing it’: Slater’s frosty response to big Maroons question

Billy Slater has refused to rule out making late changes to his side for the State of Origin opener in a tense press conference on Tuesday.

Billy Slater got a little terse in his press conference.

Maroons coach Billy Slater has refused to rule out making late changes to his side for the State of Origin opener in a tense press conference.

Speaking to media in Sydney on Tuesday morning, Slater failed to confirm his side would run out for tomorrow night’s highly anticipated clash as they were named.

Watch every game of every round this NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

“We’ve still got a little bit of time to go but we’ll make that decision closer to kick off. We’ve got until an hour before kick off before the team goes in and that’s when it’ll be final,” Slater said.

The Queensland coach was quick to reiterate his confidence in his side, stating he’s “spent a lot of time doing it [picking his side].”

“I know I’ve spent more time watching our Queenslanders than any other person.”

Slater added “when you’re in this position you’ve gotta make decisions,” alluding to his decision to leave Titans back rower David Fifita out of his side while including Brisbane outside back Selwyn Cobbo on his bench.

“Every decision that I’ve made for this footy team, and this state, is for this footy team and for the state. That’s why I’m standing here. I’m here for Queensland. This is Queensland’s team and sometimes there’s some tough decisions to make.”

Billy Slater wasn’t giving anything away.

Despite Slater remaining coy about potential late changes to his lineup, the Queensland coach all but ruled out dropping Selwyn Cobbo from his bench before Wednesday night’s kick off.

“Selwyn’s been great. He’s really matured over the last couple of years. He’s a wonderful player. He can play a number of positions. At the end of the day you just want Selwyn Cobbo out on the field,” Slater said.

“Where that is, you know, we’ve got a bit of an idea around that, but that might change as well because over the last two years there’s been more times than not that players have had to be interchanged through injury and for different reasons.”

The QLD coach said he felt “pretty good” about Cobbo’s presence on his bench, before adding he “never had any doubts” about the composition of his interchange despite some, including Maroons great Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin, questioning Cobbo’s inclusion.

Selwyn Cobbo has been named on Queensland’s bench. Picture: Liam Kidston

With seemingly no changes to his 17 ahead of tomorrow night’s kick off, speculation is growing about what, if any, changes Slater will make to his starting side before the Sydney series opener. At no point in his Origin coaching career has Slater altered his hooker rotation on gameday, meaning Ben Hunt will likely retain his starting role with Harry Grant to be injected from the pine.

History would suggest any game day Maroons changes will come in the forwards. Ahead of last year’s series opened Slater moved both his starting props - Tom Flegler and Lindsay Collins – with Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Reuben Cotter, while 2023’s Game Two saw Fleger elevated to the starting side after being initially named on the bench and Cotter moved off the pine into the back row, with fellow Cowboy Jeremiah Nanai making way.

However, injuries to Tino, Flegler, Tom Gilbert and Jai Arrow have significantly depleted Queensland’s middle forward stocks for Game One.

Cotter, Fleger and Patrick Carrigan have been named to start, with Mo Fotuaika and J’Maine Hopgood coming off the bench. If any changes are to be made, it’s more likely for Fotuaika to be elevated to the starting side in place of one of Slater’s starting props. Alternatively, Cotter could be shifted into the back row with one of Nanai or Jaydn Su’a making way.

Time will tell whether any of these changes will come to fruition, with Slater playing his cards incredibly close to his chest.

Originally published as ‘Because I’ve spent a lot of time doing it’: Slater’s frosty response to big Maroons question